Baked Crab Dip

By cindygwest

It looks fancy but is easy to make. You can even fill the bread bowl early in the day and chill it until serving. Just remove it from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.

Ingredients

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream
• 2 (6-ounce) cans crabmeat, drained, flaked and cartilage removed or 2 cups flaked imitation crabmeat
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 round loaves (1 pound each) unsliced sourdough or Italian bread
• Additional sliced green onions, optional
• Assorted fresh vegetables, crackers

Details

Servings 40
Preparation time 15mins
Cooking time 145mins

Preparation

Step 1

In a bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sour cream; mix well. Fold in crab, cheese and onions. Cut the top third off each loaf of bread; carefully hollow out bottoms, leaving 1-in. shells. Cube removed bread and tops; set aside. Spoon crab mixture into bread bowls. Place on baking sheets. Place reserved bread cubes in a single layer around bread bowls.
Bake, uncovered, at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes or until the dip is heated through. Garnish with green onions if desired. Can be served with assorted fresh vegetables or crackers or toasted bread cubes. Yield: 5 cups.

Tip: The bread can be filled earlier and refrigerated until 1 1/2 hours before serving. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.